Dubmatix Sticky Icky Reggae Mix

Why the Golden Era? What makes it so special? Along with the fashion that has been part of Hip Hop culture from the start was the message, much like reggae shifted from love songs during the Rocksteady era to Roots Reggae in the 70s, where people were trying to unite and bring something more conscious and durable to the recordings. HipHop would repeat this shift 20 years later, from the early 80s with Run DMC, LL Cool J, Doug E. Fresh, and Kurtis Blow to Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Digable Planets, & Public Enemy amongst others - they formed a coalition of unity, consciousness, and empowerment.

The Golden Era wasn’t just about hits; it was a cultural movement. It set the blueprint for what hip-hop could be: raw yet refined, rebellious but thoughtful. Whether you grew up with these tracks or are just discovering them, this mix is a celebration of the sound and soul of one of music's most influential periods.

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PLAYLIST

• Skee-Lo – I Wish

• A Tribe Called Quest – Buggin' Out

• Fugees, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, Pras – Fu-Gee-La

• Black Sheep – The Choice Is Yours (Revisited)

• Beastie Boys – Egg Man

• House Of Pain – Jump Around - Pete Rock Remix

• Pete Rock, Method Man – Half Man Half Amazin (feat. Method Man)

• Guru, Baybe – Lifesaver

• Cypress Hill – I Ain't Goin' Out Like That

• Craig Mack – Flava in Ya Ear

• Das EFX – They Want EFX

• Tha Alkaholiks – Make Room

• KRS-One – MC's Act Like They Don't Know

• Digable Planets – Jettin'

• Gang Starr – Code Of The Streets

• Slum Village, Jazz Spastiks – We Do It (Jazz Spastiks Remix)

Tracy and I go back to my very first album, “Champion Sound Clash,” back in 2004. He’s been a fantastic supporter of not only my music but thousands of musicians over the past decades, so it’s my great pleasure to share today’s mix with him.

He currently hosts a show, “Reggae Shack” on KWNK 97.7 FM Reno, kwnkradio.org

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PLAYLIST

• Big Youth - World War III

• Little Harry - Long Time Ago

• Yellowman - Duppy or Gunman

• Frankie Paul/John Steele - I Need Your Lovin’/Ghettology

• Sister Candy - Black Culture

• John Wayne - Bubble with Me

• Papa Levi - Mi God Mi King

• Lone Ranger – Wicked a Go Run

• Captain Sinbad – Bam Salute

• Linval Thompson – Pop No Style

• Jah Batta – Youthman Time

• Toyan – Children Children

• Wayne Jarrett – Ranny And Lou

• Sammy Dread, Saddle Dread – Follow Fashion

• Anthony Johnson – What Kind of Herb

Ease into your Sunday with this mellow one-hour mix of acoustic reggae. Featuring stripped-down acoustic tracks for this session. Kick back and enjoy the easy vibes.

PLAYLIST

1. Clinton Fearon – Backyard Meditation

2. Stephen Marley, Damian Marley – The Traffic Jam (Acoustic Version)

3. Barrington Levy – Personal Oval

4. Sylford Walker – Burn Babylon (Acoustic Version)

5. The Expanders – Evilous Number

6. Israel Vibration – Dancing in the Rain (Acoustic Version - Bonus)

7. Bedouin Soundclash – Jeb Rand

8. The Congos – Hills and Valleys

9. Toots & The Maytals – Bam Bam (Live)

10. Bim Sherman – Over The Rainbow

11. Ziggy Marley & The Melody Makers – One Good Spliff

12. Ronnie Davis – Strange Things (Acoustic)

13. UB40 featuring Ali Astro & Mickey – Food For Thought (Unplugged)

14. Andrew Tosh, Bunny Wailer, Ky-Mani Marley – Soon Come

15. Queen Ifrica – Predator's Paradise

16. Jesse Royal – Feel Your Pain (Percapella)

This mix dives deep into the crucial transition period of Jamaican music during the early 1980s—those rich, rugged years when the roots reggae era evolved into the raw pulse of early dancehall, also known as rub-a-dub. The 17 tracks featured here capture the stripped-down riddims, streetwise vocals, and echo-laden dub textures that defined this moment in time.

These were the years when roots consciousness met sound system swagger, and the groove got heavier, slower, and more bass-focused. As political tensions rose in Jamaica and the optimism of the ‘70s roots began to fade, artists and producers responded with music that reflected reality—gritty, direct, and dance-ready.

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About This Era (1979–1985): The Roots–Dancehall Crossover

Why It Happened

After nearly a decade of deeply spiritual and political roots reggae, a younger generation pushed for change. They craved music that could still carry a message but move the dancefloor and reflect everyday life. The result: rub-a-dub and early dancehall, a style with emphasis on drum and bass, minimal overdubs, and toasting (a rhythmic, talk-over vocal style) alongside melodic singing.

Who Shaped the Sound

• Sly & Robbie (The Rhythm Twins): Their Taxi label and riddims drove innovation—combining militant basslines with minimal, hard-hitting drum grooves.

• Henry “Junjo” Lawes: A towering figure of this time, producing massive hits for artists like Yellowman, Don Carlos, Michael Prophet, and more—often backed by the mighty Roots Radics band.

• Roots Radics: The go-to session band for rub-a-dub—slow tempos, dubbed-out textures, and basslines that could anchor any vocal.

• Joe Gibbs, Channel One, Jammy’s, Techniques, and Volcano were the key studios and labels shaping the sound.

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PLAYLIST

1. Tony Tuff – Come Fe Mash It

2. Little John – Smoke Ganja Hard

3. Gregory Isaacs – Oh What a Feeling

4. Barrington Levy – Trying to Rule My Life

5. Half Pint – Sally

6. Michael Prophet – Gunman

7. The Meditations – Carpenter Rebuild

8. Linval Thompson – Look How Me Sexy

9. Don Carlos – Laser Beam

10. Super Cat – Dance Inna New York

11. Yellowman – Nobody Move Nobody Get Hurt

12. Freddie McGregor – Roots Man Skanking

13. Josey Wales – It A Fi Burn

14. Wailing Souls – Inchpinchers

15. Anthony Johnson, Jah Thomas, Toyan – Gunshot

16. Cornell Campbell – Boxing Around

17. Bunny Wailer – I'm The Toughest

The 60-minute reggae mixtape show curated by Dubmatix showcases the finest Sticky Icky Reggae tunes from around the globe — spanning dub to dancehall, rocksteady to roots, and every rhythm in between.

PLAYLIST
Errol Holt – Congo Dread
Jacob Miller – Some Of Them Say Them A Rasta
Mystic Eyes – Linger a While
Pablo Moses – Blood Money
Leroy Brown – What a Fire
The Abyssinians – South African Enlistment - Remastered 2002
Rod Taylor – Bad Man Comes and Goes
NORRIS REID – PROTECT THEM
The Officials – Babylonian
Mighty Diamonds – Gates of Zion
Johnny Clarke – Blood Dunza
Dennis Brown – A True
Barrington Levy – Walk 2000 Miles
Horace Martin – Africa Is Calling
Noel Ellis, Lone Ark – I Know
Jah Shaka – Repatriation
Senya – Roots Man
Fullness, Mikey General – Chariots and Horses

For more themed mixes, visit https://bassculture.substack.com/

For today’s clash, I welcome Dubmaster Conte, who came through with a heavy UK steppers selection—deep basslines, militant drums, and hypnotic echoes. In response, I dug into my vault and pulled seven stepper tracks that complement and contrast his picks, forming a heavyweight sonic journey.

Each episode becomes a time capsule of two minds meeting over music.

PLAYLIST

1. Manasseh, The Equaliser – Millennium

2. The Bush Chemists – Earth’s Rightful Ruler

3. Miniman, Murray Man – Dub Over Evil

4. Alpha & Omega – Sacred Realm

5. The Disciples – Eastern Fire

6. Indica Dubs, Vibronics, Vanya O – Dub Stream

7. Dougie Conscious, Artman – Artman Meets Dougie

8. Dub Dynasty, Alpha Steppa, Alpha & Omega, Don Fe – River Jordan

9. Junior Delgado, Smith & Mighty – Storm is Coming

10. Fikir Amlak, Ital Horns, Dougie Conscious – African Raindrops

11. Gussie Clarke – No Entry – 2025 Remaster

12. Fullness – Bless Na Curse Riddim

13. Macka B, Mad Professor – Warrior Dub

14. Roots Keepers, Vibronics – Rootswoman Dub

A dive into the raw, psychedelic world of Lee "Scratch" Perry — the original Upsetter. This one-hour mix uncovers rare gems, unreleased dub plates, and overlooked productions from Perry’s Black Ark era and beyond. Expect swirling echoes, hypnotic grooves, and unpredictable sonic experiments that highlight Perry’s genius outside the mainstream. This isn’t a greatest hits session, it’s a head-nod to the underground wizardry of reggae’s mad scientist.

Perfect for crate diggers, dub heads, and anyone curious about the sonic shadows of Scratch.

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PLAYLIST

1. The Classics - Civilization (Produced by Perry)

2. The Upsetters - A Live Injection

3. Lee "Scratch" Perry - Perry In Dub

4. Lee "Scratch" Perry - Three Blind Dub

5. Lee "Scratch" Perry - Rub-A-Dub

6. Lee "Scratch" Perry - After Beat Dub

7. The Upsetters - Rare Acetates Vol 1 (B Side Mix)

8. The Upsetters - Haunted House (Rare Vinyl)

9. The Upsetters & Augustus Pablo - Black Ark

10. The Upsetters - Dark Moon

11. The Upsetters - Rebels Train / Rebels Dub

12. The Upsetters - Shuffle (Unreleased Dub Plate Mix)

13. Lee "Scratch" Perry - Caneriver Rock extended with Rocky River

14. The Upsetters & Bob Marley - Natural Mystic

15. The Upsetters - Vibrator

The 60-minute reggae mixtape show curated by Dubmatix showcases the finest Sticky Icky Reggae tunes from around the globe — spanning dub to dancehall, rocksteady to roots, and every rhythm in between.

PLAYLIST
Sylford Walker – Eternal Day
Junior Delgado – Every Natty
Tetrack – Look Within Yourself
Prince Alla – Funeral
Earth & Stone – Jail House Set Me Free
The Twinkle Brothers, Alla – Babylon A Fight
Barry Brown – Enter the Kingdom of Zion
Linval Thompson – Cool Down Your Temper
Cultural Roots – World Of Illusion
The Black Survivors – Come Away Jah Jah Children
Delton Screechie – Living in the Ghetto - 12 Mix
Keith Porter, The Itals – Jah Glory
Naggo Morris – Jah Guide
Bob Andy – Unchain Me
Leroy Smart – Babylon Don't Like Dreadlocks
Junior Ross & The Spears – Rasta Come From Zion aka Rastaman Say

For more themed mixes, visit https://bassculture.substack.com/

For today’s mix, I’ve brought in a guest, Ediblspaceships, who’s been an active part of Bass Culture, and he’s selected seven tracks, and I’ve filled out the rest of the hour. I hope you enjoy it. If you’d like to be part of a future Sound Clash, please don't hesitate to message me.

PLAYLIST

ediblspaceships selections

1. Twilight Circus Dub Sound System – Dance Plate

2. Dry & Heavy - Kick The Bong Around

3. Prince Fatty, Shniece McMenamin – Expansions

4. Twilight Circus Dub Sound System – Floorshaker

5. Prince Fatty, Mungo's Hi Fi, Sugar Minott – Scrub a Dub Style - Prince Fatty Mix

6. Sherwood & Pinch - Bring Me Weed (Casio Love Bootleg Remix)

7. Clouds - Elders (Rootah Dub)

Dubmatix selections

1. Restriction – Four Point Plan

2. Jah Shaka & Mad Professor – Ecological Dub

3. Jah Warrior – Herbsman Anthem

4. Manasseh – Zion Dubbing

5. Gentleman's Dub Club, Kiko Bun – Use Me (Ben Mckone Dub) - Mixed

6. Sis Jendayi – Feel It - Dub Two

7. Butch Cassidy Sound System – Coming Storm

8. Diggory Kenrick, The Prophet Allstars – Oppression (Part 1)

Ambient dub is the dreamlike extension of traditional dub—a sound world where slow-motion basslines, swirling echoes, and textured layers stretch out like scenes from a film you've never seen but somehow remember. It’s not dub for the dancefloor. It’s dub for drifting. For breathing. For letting go.

PLAYLIST

1. Docetism – Old Oak

2. Akcept, Another Channel – Transmission

3. Another Channel – Version Of Love

4. Versa – Breakthrough

5. Thievery Corporation – Le Monde

6. Eccodek, Dubmatix – Voices Have Eyes (Dubmatix Cinematic Dub Mix)

7. Low Volume, Biodub – Hope So - Biodub Remix

8. Upwellings – Blue Line to Brixton - Original Mix

9. Deadbeat, Paul St. Hilaire – Dopa

10. Biodub – Schweben

11. Dubmatix, Future Dub Orchestra – Black Arc